Differential drive



Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

AARON LOUGI-IEED, OF PORT ARTHUR, ONTARIO, CANADA.

DIFFERENTIAL DRIVE.

Application filed July 10, 1926. Serial No. 121,589.

y States Patent 1,522,730, dated January 13th,

1925, and Canadian Patent 246,708, dated February th, 1925.

My object in the present invention is to provide a differential drivewhich may be readily fitted to different types of axles, to improve thespring mechanism of the pawls forming the drive connections, and toprovide means for ensuring the engage.- ment of the pawls when thedriving sleeve is started in motion.

I 'attain my object and others which will hereinafter appear by means ofthe constructions hereinafter described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of myimproved drive.;

Fig. 2 a section on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1 showing the pawl in neutralposition;

Fig. 4 a. similar view showing the pawl engaged with one of the shafthubs; and

Fig. a plan view of the under side of the spring holder showing onespring in position.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin the different figures.

1 and 2 are hubs arranged in axial alinement and adapted to receive theends of two shafts or axles 1a and 2a, these shafts being squared orotherwise shaped so that the hubs have a driving engagement therewith.It is evident that the hubs may be shapedto engage any type of axle endcommonly ernployed for motor vehicles. Between the` ends of the shaft asuitable washer 4 is fitted. Fitted over the hubs is an inner sleeve 3.'Ihe hubs, it will be noted, are formed with the flanges 17 fitting theends of the sleeve 3. rIhe sleeve 3 has two segmento-cylindri-` calrecesses 5 formed therein preferably in alineinent. vIn each recess isfitted a segmento-cylindrical pawl 6. The inner side of this pawl is cutaway so that when the pawl is in the position shown in Fig. 3, it liesentirely outside of, though contacting the periphery of the adjacenthub. In the adjacent hub are formed a plurality of notches shaped toform a plurality of pairs of oppositely directedA shoulders 8 and Sa sopositioned that the pawl may be rocked in the recess in the sleeve tobring either one end or the other into engagement with the correspondingshoulder. In F ig. 4 one end is shown thus engaged so that when thesleeve is rotated in the direction of .the arrow, the shaft will bedriven. rIhe shoulders must, of course be spaced apart a distance notless than the radius of the segmento-cylindrical recess, as otherwisethe rocking of the pawl would be interfered with.

Each pawl has an arm 9 formed 'thereon which extends through a slot 10in the sleeve 3 into a recess 11 formed in the outer or driving sleeve12 fitted over the sleeve 3. It is evident that if the arms have anoperative connection with the driving sleeve 12 that the pawls may berocked to engage the ratchet teeth of the hubs whereby the latter may bedriven in one direction or the other according to the direction ofrotation of the driving sleeve. rIhe connection between each arm and thedriving sleeve is a resilient one for a purpose which will hereafterappear.

In the present construction this connection is formed by means of thesprings 13, which are fitted in a carrier 14, which is fitted in therecess 11 and engages the opposite sides thereof. Each spring is formedVwith a single coil and cross ends 19 which embrace one of the arms 9.The carrier is shapedV to form the seats 2O for the coils of the springsand a post 2l at each end embracedv by the crossed ends 19 of thecorresponding spring. From this construction it follows that the arms 9of the pawls will be maintained in a given position relative to thesleeve. When the driving sleeve is rotated,` for example, in thedirection indicated by arrow in Fig. 4, the pawls 6 are rocked to engagethem with the hubs as shown. Assuming now that one of the shafts runsahead of the other, as would happen if the shafts 1da and 2a were theaxles of a motor vehicle turning a corner, the hub engaged by one of thepawls rides under the pawl and rocks it to neutral position against thetension ofthe corresponding spring 13. The hub'then rotates under thepawl until the next shoulder comes into position for engagement with thepawl. The pawl drops, but is again lifted by the rotation of the hub andthe process is repeated as long as the hub continues to rotate fasterthan the sleeves.

The oppositelv directed shoulders arranged in pairs are need to providetor backward as well as :torward drive? and a phtralit);v oit pairs arepreferably employed to provide for a qnicl; picking np of the shalt whenthe driving Sleeve in rotated.

It not desirable tor heavy work that the sole driving connection betweenthe Sleeve l2 and ther sleeve 3 should be through the niediinn of thesprings lll. l therefore forni a longitudinal slot lo in the oatersleeve into which projects a liiey 16 iornied oii or connected to theinner Sleeve, the key beinfg narrower than 'the Slot so that before, thekev engages the side of the slot snllicient relative nioveinent of thetwo Sleeves hab taken place to perinit oit' the rocking; of the. paivl;as hereihbetore referred to. ihe driv Sleeve may iteelit he driven inany desired manner. .l show for 'this purpose the bevel gearing;` E27,3l.

It is important that when the outer Sleeve is driven that it shouldrotate relative lto the inner sleeve heitere the latter nieves reizttive to the hubs, and for this purpose lf provide the plunger tied in areceso in the inner Sleeve and bearing in a ,irroove torined in the endsolf the hnbe. This, plunger is torined with a heed Q53 ai apled to hearagainst a shoulder Bit tornied in the retiene in the inner sleeve inwhich it i,- noeiioned. The extension ot the plunger is thus; limited.Si coil spring; bears; agaiinit the head QCS and against a nat. it lttedover the fut-ein oi the plunger 'rinve-:l in poeition in the receee` inthe inner sleeve' crown rear wheel l is #hewn Secured to the enterSleeve at one end thereo'li. lilith it meshes the pinion 2i' ol a drive@hait L-tl.

vThe other `end ot' the onter :ile-eve has a collar 29 positionedthereon. 'this` Shown as loose on the sleeve and is backed by the lochnat BO.

This collar 29 may he need to back np the Afear pinion to hold itproperlyv in mesh with the crown gear. ',llhe collal 'formed witli anannular seat oi qnerter-ronnd ecction in its inner eide in whiehenijagee the end 3Q ot the drive Ashalt.

llvlhat lt claiin is:

i. A drive connection coinprisinel a shaft; a hub tittedon the shaft andhaving a driving `eonnection therewith: an inner sleeve rotatable on thehnh and having' a recees formed therein adjacent Said hnb; a double pawlpivoted in said inner sleeve: teeth havingoppoeiteh,- directed shouldersitorn'ied in the hub: an onter Sleeve rotatable on the inner sleeve andhaving' a receeey torniet therein adjacent the .inner sleeve: an arrn onsaid pawlextending through the inner Sleeve into the rocosa in the ontersleeve: a Spring` carrier fitted into the recess in the outer sleeve;and a bent Springtornicd with a loop held in said carrier and endeembracing the r'ni ot the pawl and reeiliently tending to retain s'aidaral in a gri ven position relative to the aleeve i2. A drive connectioncomprising a shaft; a hah litted on the sha'tt and having` a drivini`connection therewith; an inner Sleeve rotataliile on the huh andl'iaivin;- a recess i'orined therein adjaeent said hnlo; a double pawlpivoted in Said inner sleeve; teeth having` oppositely f lirecteiflshoulders formedin the huh: an onier si'eeve rotatable on the innereleeve and having" a recess formed therein adjacent the inner sleeve; anarm on said pawl extendingi` through the inner sleeve into the reeees inthe outer sleeve; a spring eoni'iection between the outer sleeve and:raid arm tending to retain said arno in a pjiven po, ition relative tothe Sleeve; and a triction device between the inner sleeve and the hebwherelrv7 when the outer sleeve is riiitated it will inove relative tothe inner Sleeve before the inner Sleeve nieves relative to the hill).

ln a diitierential drive the combination oi two alined rotatable parts;an inner sleeve concentric therewith; two double pawle pivoted in h@aidsleeve` one vfor each ot said rotatable parts; adjacent oppositelydirected ratchet teeth 'formed in each of said parte; a driving Sleevetitted overthe tiret mentioned Sleeve having af longitudinal reifen;'toi-ined therein next to said inner sleeve; arias extending;v lro'inthe pawls into said reeese; a .inning carrier titted into `maid recessand iorined at opposite ends with a spring seat and a poet opposite theneat; and a eoil spring at each end ot the earrier l'iavinnr ite endseroeeed to embrace the post and thev arm oi3 the adjacent pa'wl7 thecoil ot the spring being` titted in the seat.

l. .ln a ditierential drive the conibii'iat'ion ot two alined rotatableparte; an inner Sleeve concentric therewith; two double, pafwls pi votedin said Sleeve, one for each ot Said rotatable parte; adjacentoppoeitelv directed ratchet teeth tornied .in each oit Said parte; adriving sleeve `titted over the tiret mentioned Sleeve having` a`longg'itudinal recess formed therein next to Said inner sleeve; arnisextending` iioni the pawls in'to said recess; a spring' i-oi'nieetionlbetween the outer Sleeve and each arni tending' to retain the Said arniin a Igiven position relative to the sleeve; and a triction devicebetween 'the inner sleeve and each o't the :dined rotzttable partewhereby, when the outer Sleeve is rotated it will inove relative to theinner sleeve betere the inner sleeve 'nieves relative to the alinedrotatable parte. p

Signed at Port Arthur this 23th dayv ot .linie 1926.

AARON LUGHEED;

